One of the best films of 2010, Matthew Vaughn's "Kick-Ass" was a superhero film with guts. As unbelievably violent as it was strangely sentimental, "Kick Ass" is a film that left me stunned, giddy and full of childlike excitement. Though the sequel doesn't quite recapture its predecessor's seamless mix of tongue-in-cheek humor and sadistic violence, "Kick-Ass 2" is still a fun time at the movies.

Taking place two years after Kick-Ass/Dave Lizewski (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) and Hit-Girl/Mindy Macready (Chloe Grace Moretz) blew up the billionaire crime boss who killed Hit-Girl’s father Big Daddy, the two superheroes have slowed down with their crime fighting, spending their time training together in the hopes of becoming a full-fledged superhero team.

But in an attempt to fit in at school and live a normal life, the tough as nails Mindy promises her godfather Marcus (Morris Chestnut) that she'll her hang up her cape for good. The film follows her as she goes on her first date and tries to assimilate herself with the popular clique at school, all with mixed and hilarious results.

Without a partner, Kick-Ass joins an underground superhero league called Justice Forever, where he meets the patriotic Colonel Stars & Stripes (Jim Carrey) as well as love interest Night Bitch (Mindy Booth).

Wanting revenge on Kick-Ass for killing his father, Chris D'Amico, (Christopher Mintz-Plasse) sets out at becoming the world's first super villain, using his wealth to buy a decked-out lair and assemble a super villain team with some of the meanest baddies money has to buy.

"Kick-Ass 2" benefits from the stellar performances that made the first film so enjoyable. Once again as Hit-Girl, Moretz proves she's one of the best young actresses working today, swearing like a sailor and decapitating bad guys all with the elegance of a butterfly.

Being an adaption of Mark Miller's graphic novel "Kick-Ass 2" as well as his spin-off "Hit-Girl," Moretz is given a more prominent storyline as she tries to maneuver her way through high school. Raunchy and mean-spirited on the outside but soft on the inside, the charismatic Moretz dominates in the role, overshadowing other characters whenever onscreen. Endlessly appealing and a force to be reckoned with, her character truly is the heart of the film.

Johnson is likable as the films protagonist, but unlike Hit-Girl, Kick-Ass's storyline in the film is subpar. With quick pacing and stylistic direction, the first film saw Dave develop from geeky nerd to jetpack flying, baton swinging superhero while in the second, he lacks any sort of progression as a character.

Dave has stories in the film, but none of them are really explored to the fullest or given enough screen time to be worthwhile. Dave's father is featured in one of the more prominent stories, but the entire subplot feels phoned in for dramatic effect. What could have been worthwhile character arc is demoted and feels sluggish because Dave and his father aren't given enough screen time to explore their relationship. The same can be said about Dave's new love interest, who does very little.

Dave's ex-girlfriend Katie, who played a significant role is the first film, only makes a mere cameo in film. The two had excellent romantic chemistry in "Kick-Ass," and the way Katie is handled in the sequel feels ridiculously out of character.

Joining the cast, Jim Carrey is a great addition as the Colonel. His character isn't laugh out loud funny, but he's memorable and it's a nice break from Carrey's more recent flubs like "Yes Man" and "Mr. Poppers Penguins."

Performances aside, the film suffers from a lazy script from writer/director Jeff Wadlow, which replaces the clever superhero satire with vomit and masturbation jokes. While the first film was superbly crafted and paced, the second feels scatter plotted due to the increased number of subplots.

Big Daddy's death scene in the original is one of the most intense, tear-inducing, and epic action sequences of the past decade. The top-notch combination of Moretz's acting, the beautiful score from John Murphy (who didn't return for the sequel), and the cinematography from Ben Davis were all stunning.

The sequel attempts to replicate the scenes emotion with another character death, but it pales in comparison because the stakes aren't nearly as high.

Though "Kick-Ass 2" doesn't even begin to compare with its superior predecessor, it's a fun action film that's sporadically annoying but always entertaining. Let's just hope the inevitable "Kick-Ass 3" will be a return to form for the franchise. But really, as long as Moretz and company are game, I'm in.